HALIFAX PANTHERS 28 SALFORD 34
EMMA KENNEDY, The Shay, Sunday

SALFORD staged a dramatic late comeback to claim just their second away win of the season in a battle of two of the division’s phoenix clubs.

Daniel Sarbah proved the hero for the visitors, scoring twice as they overturned a 28-6 deficit to run out unlikely winners in one of the matches of the season so far.

A blistering start to the second half had set Halifax on course for a first home win over Salford in 25 years, but Will Brough’s sin bin, coupled with an inspired final 20 minutes from St Helens loanee George Whitby against his former club, turned the game on its head in a grandstand finish.

Whitby was one of four on debut for the visitors, who started brightly.

The pressure of back-to-back goal-line drop-outs soon told on the Halifax defence as Brad Dwyer burst out of dummy-half to open the scoring under the posts with seven minutes played. Whitby added the first of five conversions.

The hosts looked for an immediate response after forcing a knock-on, but Alfie Johnson was tackled into touch inches from the left corner.

However, they did find a way through from their next chance on the quarter-hour. From a penalty, the ball was shifted right for Ben Tibbs to go over out wide, Myles Lawford’s superb touchline conversion levelling the scores.

Buoyed by their first points, and the introduction of Deliane Gittens from the bench, Halifax began to dominate both possession and field position, though they were kept out by some impressive tryline defence.

After Connor Davies had gone close, Salford’s defence was eventually breached again on the stroke of half time, Johnson collecting a sublime pass and breaking out of two tackles before rolling debutant Kieran Dixon to score into the left corner, Lawford again goaling from out wide.

Having perhaps left points out on the pitch during the first half, Halifax quickly began to take the game away from their opponents after the break.

It took just two minutes for them to increase their lead after Sarbah had knocked on a spiralling bomb, fast hands from Lawford handing Tibbs a stroll-in at the corner.

Jesse Soric then scythed through from broken play before Will Calcott crashed onto a bullet pass, Lawford converting both to open up a sizeable advantage. 

But as both sides began to tire in the heat, Will Brough was shown a yellow card, which proved the catalyst for Salford’s fightback.

And they needed no invitation to capitalise on their numerical advantage, turning the game on its head.

Aided by a penalty, Joe Hartley found Sarbah for a walk-in at the left corner with just over a quarter of an hour left to play, before Whitby dummied his way past the Halifax defence, finding the supporting Toby Hughes to score under the posts.

Things went from bad to worse for Halifax after the kick-off flew out on the full, Whitby burrowing over from close range next to the posts before adding another two points from the tee to set up a grandstand finish.

And with the wind firmly in their sails, Salford completed the unlikeliest of comebacks.

Ollie Garmston crashed over from close range before Sarbah and Hartley interchanged passes on the left wing for the match-winning score to send the away fans into raptures.

GAMESTAR: George Whitby showed his class for Salford in the final 20 minutes, spearheading their unlikely comeback.

GAMEBREAKER: Will Brough’s sin bin proved the catalyst for Salford’s comeback, turning momentum firmly in their favour. 

MATCHFACTS

PANTHERS
1 Will Brough
2 Ben Tibbs
11 Ben Crooks
22 Darius Carter
4 Alfie Johnson
6 Jesse Soric
17 Myles Lawford
8 Will Calcott
9 Adam O’Brien
16 Zach Fishwick
15 Connor Davies
12 Owen McCarron
20 Vila Halafihi
Subs
3 Ben Will (not used)
7 Curtis Davies
21 Ben Forster
33 Delaine Gittens-Bedward

Tries: Tibbs (15, 42), Johnson (38), Soric (48), Calcott (52)
Goals: Lawford 4/5
Sin bin: Brough (56) – striking out in the tackle

SALFORD
1 Kieran Dixon
39 Jacob Douglas
12 Ollie Garmston
20 Joe Hartley
30 Daniel Sarbah
38 George Whitby
7 Toby Hughes
8 Sam Bowring
9 Brad Dwyer
37 Jack Bibby
33 Cole Oakley
26 Reece Stanton
29 Cameron Bate
Subs (all used)
10 Owen Haldenby
32 Joe Baldwin
40 Owain Abel
42 Shaun Costello

Tries: Dwyer (7), Sarbah (63, 77), Hughes (65), Whitby (68), Garmston (73)
Goals: Whitby 5/6

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6; 16-6, 22-6, 28-6, 28-10, 28-16, 28-22, 28-28, 28-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Ben Tibbs; Salford: George Whitby

Penalty count: 7-7
Half-time: 12-6
Referee: Luke Bland
Attendance: 1,749